Financial Safety Online
Posted 6/22/2008 @ 12:52:30 pm by yoursafetycomesfirst.com
The growth of the internet has made it easier than ever for us to access our financial accounts online. With the click of a button, we can get a real-time view of our bank accounts, savings, and investments, and even make financial transactions without leaving the house. Unfortunately, it's also easier than ever for crooks to gain access to our finances as well, and we must take considerable care to ensure that our financial identity online remains secure. A few basic protective steps can help you keep intruders out of your accounts online.
First and foremost, use good passwords when accessing your online accounts. Simple words, names of family members, house numbers or birthdates are all bad ideas when it comes to secure passwords or PINs. The best passwords consist of letters, numbers, and symbols, and are as random as possible; the best PINs should have no connection to you in any way. These types of passwords are harder to remember, sure, but they're also a lot harder for the bad guys to get hold of. A little daily inconvenience makes up for being cleaned out by a crook. You should also be wary of any emails purporting to be from your financial institution, especially if they bear some dire warning that your account will be closed if you don't log into it as soon as possible. These often connect to carefully-designed fake sites, made to look like your bank, and are there simply to capture your passwords and account information. No reputable institution will ever ask for passwords or PINs through an email, and if you ever have doubts, call your bank and ask before acting online. It can mean the difference between remaining safe and becoming the victim of fraud. |
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